High speed rotors, particularly those in gas turbine engines or the like, are occasionally subject to failure in which a portion of the spinning rotor becomes separated and continues tangentially from the point of separation in a generally radially outward direction. For aircraft applications, the separated portions, typically a rotor blade, must be restrained or deflected by the surrounding engine case in order to prevent the separated member from causing further damage by striking remaining engine parts or the aircraft itself.
Typical installations use an annular containment structure located in the plane of the rotor and secured to the engine case or housing. The containment ring may be fabricated of metallic or composite materials and serves to strengthen the engine case, at least locally, in order to prevent any separated members from passing through the engine case and beyond.
Gas turbine engine designers attempt to provide a containment ring or structure having sufficient strength to absorb the energy of a detached blade with the desire to keep engine weight as low as practical.
It will further be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such containment rings, after having absorbed or deflected a detached blade, may require replacement or refurbishment. It is therefore desirable to have a containment ring which is easily removed or installed and which attaches to the engine case with a minimum of hardware and labor.